What? The World needs saving AGAIN? IC Thread 6

[Xihirli]

"I don't know... It's just that I want to stop eventually," Leff said. "Saving the world is... yes. We need to do it. But... I don't want to spend my entire life pushing back the clock. That's why we're making the new Order, right? So that we can be confident that the world will stick around after we stop going on our own."

[Valmark]

"Exactly" Eris nodded "Or at least to have more heroes running around instead of the handful there currently is. Far too little to cover so many planes, even if the Feywild's probably good on its own. Probably" she pulled Leff into a hug "I don't think I'll turn a request for help down ever... But it would be nice to lazy around on our bed using my tail to bother you while you read and know that there's somebody for each of the world's problems. If for each of us that retires there are two more taking their place I'll consider myself satisfied. Or even one and a half"

[Xihirli]

Aklah finished her food and bumped Leff aside to lick Eris, rustling her throat happily. Leff giggled and moved around Aklah to give Eris a kiss on the cheek. "I look forward to that, too."

[Valmark]

"I kinda prefer Leff's kisses to Aklah's licks" Eris told nobody in particular, hugging the two briefly.
"Right- there will be time for proper cuddles and family moments when we are out of the dark plane. Let's get outside and fly away- Mávro will lead the away" she got on Aklah, reaching out to help Leff get on.

[Xihirli]

Leff took Eris's hand, and then Morrigan flew into the air with no Mávro in sight, turning up to the east.

[Valmark]

"Follow, Aklah" Eris told the wyvern, spurring her towards the east.
"Since we forgot back in Baldur's Gate when we get out of the Shadowfell we need to tell Anaweir that Kaleral wants to resurrect the one she and Marû managed to take down. Specifying that he's a sorcerer and what he can do- at least I suspect he's one. Then we contact Vhisola to know if there are any news and decide from there. But first we get back to Baldur's Gate safe and sound" she told Leff "Think you can manage at least two Sendings after the Teleportation Circle?"

[Xihirli]

"I'd have to go into higher tiers of spells, but I could do it," Leff agreed as Morrigan guided Aklah toward two large, black mountains... then then directly toward the side of one, diving full-speed.
"This has happened before, hasn't it."

[Valmark]

"Twice! Last time we dived towards solid rock I was drunk and broke my legs!" Eris exclaimed happily, pushing Aklah right after Mávro. Morrigan. The Sentinel Raven with bracialet.

[Xihirli]

Aklah whined, they crashed into the rock, and then Eris saw darkness. Then the darkness peeled away as she was suddenly surrounded by goblins, with a half-drow in robes staring down at them with absent interest, an imp on his shoulder.

She could hear a loud, off-key song in the other room in the stone, echoey fortress.
"A cloak of leaves, sea-weed!
A conch shell, too!
Stir them in my witches' brew!
I got MAGIC! Alakazamakazoo!"

[Valmark]

Eris blinked several times, looking around.
"...I don't think this was supposed to happen" she said and then realized what she was hearing, looking even more confused. She turned to the half-drow.
"...what is happening?"

Spoiler: Ooc

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To be clear, Eris is alone? As in, no Leff etc.? Does she have her equipment?

[Xihirli]

"We're on Toril, right?" Leff asked, climbing off of Aklah. Morrigan perched on Eris's shoulder.
"Welcome to Darkhold, Zhentarim stronghold," the half-drow said, holding a hand for the goblins to calm down.
"I gather you entered here from the Plane of Shadow?"

"Oooo-ooh-ooh-ooooh!
My witches' brew!
Oooo-ooh-ooh-ooooh!
What's it gonna do to
you?
BOO!"

A bodak thigh
Beholder eye
A goblin's tooth!
Stir them in..."

[Valmark]

"Yes, I'm Eris Lelahinn" Eris stood up "And that chanting is starting to creep me out. We'll be leaving anyway" she stretched.

[Xihirli]

"Yes, that is our resident alchemist. She'll be piping down in..." the half-drow looked to a goblin, who shrugged. "Five hours? We are eager to see you go. Won't you follow me."

[Valmark]

"Can't we just teleport away?" Eris wondered following giving her group the 'don't trust anybody' look. Which is often her look.

[Xihirli]

"I'll not have you opening any circles here," the half-drow insisted. He guided them down the fortress and past the chamber the voice was coming from.
An excited, rail-thin half-hag was tossing ingredients into a bubbling cauldron, singing.
"Oooo-ooh-ooh-ooooh!
My witches' brew!
Oooo-ooh-ooh-ooooh!
What's it gonna do to
you?
BOO!" As she screamed boo, she jumped at the cauldron and tossed in some red glowing rocks, causing an explosion of blue gas to erupt from the cauldron. Showing no fear, she dipped her finger in and tasted it. "Needs blood!" she announced, and then curiously looked up at the footsteps.
"Are these guests?"
"Uninvited guests."
"Always so stiff, Zeeb. Hey, hold up! Is that Black Ice?"

[Valmark]

Eris was sure the hag was crazy evil, but she actually looked kind of fun too.
"Yes? Why do you ask?" she wondered.

[Xihirli]

"I gave that sword to the Raven Queen! Where did you get it!?"
"Polly..."
"Zeeb!"
"Polly, I'm escorting them out."
"Do you guys wanna buy some potions? I'm allowed to keep talking to you if you buy some potions."

[Valmark]

Eris lifted the sack of money looking at the hag interested.
"Yes- I'm actually curious about Black Ice. Gloriana said that it was given to her by somebody else that couldn't use it in exchange for a favor dealing with... A vampire, maybe? Something bad. Anyway, she gave it to me since I broke my previous magical weapon on a god's face" she explained, staying well away from the 'help me kill Asmodeus' matter.
"Oh right. Gloriana's the Raven Queen. I knew her by that name way before discovering she even was a goddess, so I keep calling her that to the confusion of some others. What potions do you have?"

[Xihirli]

Zeeb fumed silently as Polly waved them in.
"First off, we haven't been properly introduced. I am the Dread Bonechewer, the Marrow-Cackler, the Mountain Witch. But everyone just calls me 'Polly.' And you are?"
"So Polly isn't your name?"
"It's my first name. Polly Bonechewer."
"That's... ah, I'm Leflabah Lelahinn. This is my wife Eris Lelahinn, and these are our children Ishat and Aklah Lelahinn." Leff noted that Mávro had not yet revealed herself as anything more than a bracelet, and decided not to mention her.
"Pleased to meet you!" Polly extended her long, gaunt hand to Eris's to shake.
"Yeah, I kept killing demons with it but it kept not waking up, so I exchanged it for a holy lance that would hurt the vampire who killed my family – Sersei Zaarafin. Anyway, he's dead now. Deader. Lance broke, though. I've got lotsa potions to choose from, and more can be made on commission. I've got potions that will let you resist any elemental damage – you know, fire, acid, cold, lightning and thunder – as well as poison. I've got a bunch of healing potions, since those fly off the shelves. Anything less than Supreme I've got – standard, greater and superior. I've got a potion of Stone Giant Strength, though one of you looks to not need it and the other looks like she won't find use for it. I've only got the one, but could be hired to make more potions of Heroism. They're real good. Same with potions of Speed. I can make a potion of flying, I've got plenty of poisons, just ask if you're interested. What'll it be?" Polly asked, smiling as she listed off her wares.

[Valmark]

"You needed devil's blood in your veins, yeah. I've bleeded Demogorgon out with Black Ice and it's been speaking up- though only to threaten demons. It actually held a small conversation with the demon prince" Eris said, shaking Polly's hand "I'm extremely curious of what will happen when it properly wakes up. Anyway... That potion of Heroism sounds good. And the Speed one. And two of each elemental resistances' potions. Yes, fire too. And I dunno, a bunch of healing potions. The Shadowfell made me appreciate non-spell effects- even if I could already heal myself without spellcasting. Though you might want to tell us the prices up front, we don't haul ridicoulous amounts of money everywhere we go" said the adventurer with four gemstones worth thousands of money.

[Xihirli]

"Oh! I have that written down!" Polly searched a few shelves of potions and found three pieces of parchment. She brought two of them over to Eris, since she hadn't mentioned interest in her poisons.
"Here you are!"

Spoiler: Parchment

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Polly Prices

Potion of Healing 50 gp
Potion of Greater Healing 150 gp
Potion of Superior Healing 450 gp


Potion of Heroism 180 gp

Potion of Resistance (Fire, Cold, Lightning, Poison) 250 gp
Potion of Resistance (Thunder, Acid, Necrotic) 300 gp
Potion of Speed 400 gp
Potion of Flying 500 gp
Potion of Vitality 960 gp

Purchase of 1,000 gp or more comes with a free Alchemist’s Fire or vial of Acid!

Everpine Blight Cure 50 gp

[Valmark]

"See? We can only afford like, two unless you take gemstones. If you take gemstones though we can buy in bulk" Eris noted looking at the prices "Meanwhile, potion of Heroism and... Is that an anti-necrotic potion? That could be extremely useful. Those two" she thought back to Slither's daggers.

[Xihirli]

"Hmmm," Polly mumbled.
"Hey Zeeb! Is our Jeweler back from Ba–"
"No, and don't shout out the locations of our operatives in front of outsiders."
Polly turned back to Eris. "Sorry, I can't accept gemstones that haven't been looked at by our jeweler. But
we can certainly talk alternative payment plans." She looked over Eris and Leff.
"Tiefling and Fire Genasi blood can be used to make potions of fire resistance, and if I could milk that wyvern's tail for venom, I could make something real fun." Polly then remembered Eris's request, and knocked her stirring stick on the cauldron boiling at that moment.
"Out of Necrotic Resistance Potions, next batch should be ready by tomorrow."

[Valmark]

"I'll take the Speed with the Heroism then" Eris shrugged "We just came out of the Shadowfell, no blood will be donated before we get some nice sleep. And nobody's milking my daughter" she run her hand on Aklah's neck still smiling before getting out 58 platinum coins for Polly.

[Xihirli]

"Alright," Polly agreed, and opened up a dirty sack on her belt. "Minsei! Go get a potion of speed and heroism!"
"No!" a tiny voice shouted from the sack. Polly sighed and got them herself, passing over a Potion of Speed and a Potion of Heroism.
"Maybe we can do business in the future."
"Not here."
"Well, maybe I'll go somewhere else then, Zeeb!" Polly shouted at the half-drow.

[Valmark]

"Thank you. Well, we are going to set up shop in Baldur's Gate if you ever pass by. Though you should stay away from the temple of Gond, they aren't nice to hags. Though the one they captured wasn't nice to kids so..." Eris shrugged and took the potions "See you next time. By the by, before we leave, where did you originally find Black Ice?"

[Xihirli]

"I bought it in a store!" Polly answered. "Candle Keep! Very near Baldur's Gate." She waved good-bye.
"I can go wherever I want, I have letters of recommendation from some influential paladins."

[Valmark]

"Who the Hells sells swords like these" Eris wondered out loud "Bye Polly. Sorry for the hold-up, show us the way and we'll be out of your hair" she told the half-drow.

[Xihirli]

"Oh, I could totally..." Polly frowned, then stopped. "Goodbye!"
Zeeb sighed loudly. "Yes, follow me." He walked past the alchemical lab.

[Valmark]

Eris followed.
"She's the nicest hag we met, isn't she?" she asked Leff.